


Doctor, Doctor!

by Ichirinsa



Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Love Confessions, Tae is bi and you cannot change my mind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:33:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ichirinsa/pseuds/Ichirinsa
Summary: Tae Takemi is... unorganized, to say the least. Luckily, her friend Byleth -- a Shujin Academy PE teacher -- is willing to lend a hand, all for the payment of food from Leblanc.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Takemi Tae
Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765159
Comments: 1
Kudos: 40





	1. Support Level C - Helping Hands

“Thanks again for agreeing to help with this, Byleth. Especially on a day off.” Tae stands in front of a messy mound of books, files, and unorganized medical supplies. She’s scratching her cheek with one finger, tapping her clipboard against her thigh. “I got some bookcases and filing cabinets recently, but… it’s pretty overwhelming to tackle all this stuff. Especially when I have to be ready for a patient whenever they come in.”

“After all you’ve done for me, I don’t mind at all.” Byleth observes her workload. It almost looks like a hurricane passed through, localized entirely behind Tae’s front desk. “Besides, I think you’d be a bit hopeless without me. You seem to be in over your head.”

“I want to fight you on that, but you’re not wrong.” Tae has the humility to admit her shortcomings, at least. “Just let me know how you’re organizing all this… chaos. If it takes me more than ten seconds to find a file, you’re fired.”

“You’re paying me in coffee and curry at Leblanc, I don’t think you can exactly fire me.” She starts to examine the books: All medical journals. Some about rare diseases to look out for, some about chemical compounds used in the creation of medicine. “Not that you’d want to, anyway.”

Tae sighs, weary. “Alright, alright. Get to your work, I’ll get to mine.” She leaves without another word, leaving Byleth to her newest challenge.

If Byleth has learned anything about organizing a mess, it’s to separate it into more palatable, bite-sized pieces. Choose a task to focus on, leave the rest for later. That makes it easier to not be overwhelmed. For today, she’s decided to handle medical supplies, since those are the most pertinent. She opens a drawer, and is unsurprised to find a mess. Half-empty packages of bandages and gauze clog up most of the space, covering up bottles of assorted chemicals. She sighs, starts to empty them out, and gets to work.

An hour or so later -- she’s not keeping track -- Byleth hears the click of Tae’s shoes in the doorway behind her. “I assume there’s a reason things are a bit messier here than before?”

“To what do I owe the honor, Doctor? Don’t you have to stick by the front desk for patients?” Byleth doesn’t even turn to face her. “And I had to empty everything out to reorganize. It’s already looking better inside the drawers, at least.”

“Relax, I’m on lunch break. Speaking of: Catch.” Byleth hears the sound of a wrapper being opened, then feels a similar wrapper pelted against her back.

“You’re supposed to give better warning before you throw, you know.” Byleth turns around at last, if only to examine whatever it is Tae just chucked at her. Tae hasn’t moved from the door, and is leaning on the frame, eating a Big Bang burger. “Aren’t those unhealthy?”

“Not in moderation.” She picks a piece of lettuce away from her mouth. “Don’t judge me, I had a craving. Besides, I got you one, too.”

“The one you just threw at me, I presume.” She has to stretch to get a view of the package behind her, sitting on the ground just a foot away from her.

“The very same.”

She can’t deny it was a kind gesture, despite the method of delivery. She sits down fully, then opens the wrapper and takes a bite. A moment of silence passes between the two of them as they chew. “These are better than I remember…”

“Right?” Tae is already finishing her burger, crumpling up the wrapper. “Now I’ve got another twenty minutes of break with no food. Help me pass the time.”

“Demanding, aren’t you?”

“I’m spoiled, I admit. You contribute to that.” She tosses the wrapper aside, then delicately pumps her fist. Apparently she landed her shot in the trash can on the far side of the other room, though Byleth has no idea. Could be an act.

“Are you going to pass the time by helping me clean, or did you have other ideas?”

“Just conversation, don’t get any ideas. Besides, this can be a break for you, too.” Takemi walks forward to examine Byleth’s progress. “I’m guessing you got so good at this because of teaching?”

“That, and my dad was in the military when I was young. He raised me to maintain an organized living space.” Another bite of burger, way bigger than necessary.

Tae shows no reaction. “Makes sense. Also explains why you’re so deadpan all the time. And that means something coming from me.” It’s true. Tae isn’t the least emotive person she’s seen, but she plays her emotions close to the chest.

“You’d think so.” She uses the wrapper to wipe ketchup from the corner of her mouth, not entirely afraid to seem like a messy eater. “But I was like that even when I was a baby. Dad told me I hardly ever cried or laughed.”

Tae leans forward, interested and visibly confused. “That is… very strange for a newborn.”

“But I got better with it after I started teaching. Now, I even smile sometimes. See?” She gives a clandestine smile, holding an open palm underneath her face for presentation.

“And it gave you a sense of humor, apparently.” Even Tae laughs at the display. She finally takes a seat on the newly-cleared backup chair she keeps in the back. “I’m curious… how was the nurse at your old teaching job?”

Byleth sighs, eyebrows held up high. “Oh, Manuela. She was smart… but just as unorganized as you, if not more. I had to help her get her office together, same as here. Unlike you, she was hitting on me the whole time.” Byleth rubs the back of her neck. “Not that I complained, at the time. It was flattering. And she was really attractive. She even used to be an opera singer back in Germany.” Byleth turns away to hide the blush she can feel crawling its way up her neck, like a spreading virus run rampant. “Besides, I… may have reciprocated on the flirting.”

“Wow, how noble of you not to pursue a sexual harassment lawsuit.” Now Tae is smiling, though Byleth can hardly see from her valiant attempts to face away. “I won’t take a note from her book, at least. You’re safe from that.” Tae twirls an idle finger through her hair. “From my medicine, not so much.” She gets up, then winks as she passes Byleth back to the door. “I’m headed back to work. Any other snacks you want for next time you clean?”

“Oh. Uh. Cookies and cream pocky is a favorite of mine.” Byleth faces her fully, now confident that her face is a normal shade, rather than a vivid, rosy pink.

“Noted. Keep up the good work, partner.” And then, just like that, she’s gone again. Byleth shakes her head with laughter, claps her face with both hands, then gets back to work.

Hours later, she’s finished her first division of sorting. She leaves the room, back to the area behind Tae’s front desk, and recounts her method of assortment.

“Basic medical supplies are on the top drawer on the left -- gloves, gauze, bandages, wipes for sanitization and sterilization, etc. The drawer underneath that is for the pointy stuff -- sutures and needles. All the drawers on the right are your home remedies, sorted alphabetically. Each drawer is labelled for what letters they contain.”

When Byleth has finished her explanation, Tae nods slightly, impressed. “Excellent work, assistant. The coffee and curry will flow plentifully.” She moves past Byleth, then examines her handiwork. “Damn, you’re thorough. You’ve exceeded my lofty expectations. I can pay you tonight, if you’d like.”

Byleth’s face visibly perks. “That would be fantastic.”

“Then onward, my assistant.” She retrieves keys from her lab coat, then twirls them on her finger. “Because I’m craving some, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first of many support conversations. They'll follow the FE formula, from C to B to A, then S if romance is an option.
> 
> Then... y'know. Support Level X. (;
> 
> These chapters will be a bit shorter than usual. I gotta pace things, budget em. You know how it is.


	2. Support Level B - Fever Sweats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hot in Takemi Medical Clinic.

The AC is broken. While it’s not the end of the world, it certainly won’t make for the most comfortable experience in this event. There are plenty of fans around the clinic to help offset the temperature, though it could be better.

“Like I said, Byleth, if you’d rather wait for it to be fixed, that’s alright. I certainly won’t judge.” Takemi stands in the doorway to the back room, twirling a pen in her fingers.

“Eh, it’s not horrible. Is it okay if I shed the jacket, though?”

“I kind of expected you to.”

“No, it’s just. Well, look.” Byleth removes her track jacket and underneath is a black crop top, revealing plenty of skin. “This.”

“Ah.” Takemi nods in understanding.

“Won’t be an issue?”

“Have you seen how short this dress is? I don’t get any shortage of patients who check out my legs.” She rotates one such leg to demonstrate. God damn.

“True. They are nice legs.” Byleth looks. Respectfully, of course.

Tae takes that casual compliment with a smile. “Get to work, assistant. I’ll be sure to check in on you every now and again to make sure nothing hiding back here has killed you.”

And just like that, she’s gone. Byleth is left in a lukewarm room with only a disarray of files and medical books to keep her company. With little hesitation, she starts to alphabetizing and sorting each file, gathering and consolidating duplicates here and there, labelling each drawer of the cabinets, and stowing each to the best of her ability. One cabinet is assigned for Tae’s own research and development, while another is for patient files. Interestingly enough, she sees a file for Akira Kurusu in each. But Tae forced her to sign a patient confidentiality agreement to help, so it’s none of her business.

After a few hours, Byleth is actually sweating, though only lightly. And she feels eyes boring into her body. When she looks to the door, Tae is there, sipping away at a juice box, staring, appraising Byleth in one way or another.

“A few gnarly scars you got there, assistant.” She finishes the juice, crushes the box, then tosses it aside. “Any stories behind them?”

Byleth has to crane over to get a glimpse of the scars on her back that Tae is referencing. Most have faded to time, but the worst of them still remain. “Plenty. Depends on the scar. Usually they’re just from my military time.”

“You served? I thought you just said it was your dad who was in the military.”

“No, it was me, too. Back in Switzerland, before I started teaching. It was only a few years, but it was enough to see a bit of combat.”

“In… Switzerland?” Her head tilts forward, accompanied by an incredulous raise of an eyebrow.

Fanning herself with a nearby file, Byleth decides to relax from her work. “The combat didn’t happen in Switzerland.”

“Right, right.” She walks forward, then points at some scar on Byleth’s back. “This one looks rough. What happened here?” Then, Byleth feels a gentle tap against the scar in question, just to single it out.

“Drunk guy pulled a knife on me, took me by surprise. Learned a valuable lesson not to taunt belligerent drunks.” 

“This one?” This time, a tap on the back of her right bicep.

“Bullet wound, hollow point. Did some real internal damage.”

“Hm, this one is pretty odd. It looks like a burn, but… not entirely.”

“Electrical burn, actually.” A half-truth -- in actuality, an orb of shadowy magic at the hands of a villainous Persona user. “It’s the one that sent me into a five-year coma.” That part is technically true.

“You did mention that, yeah. I still can’t believe you were under for five years and managed to make such a recovery. It’s a miracle you have full use of your body, you realize that, right?”

“I never take it for granted.”

Tae taps a very particular scar, only halfway showing from underneath her shirt. “...What about this one?” The memory plays in her brain like a reel of film. A betrayal from a former student, forever marked on her skin.

“I, uh…” Byleth hesitates. She can feel drops of sweat trickle down her neck. “That one is… I’d rather not.”

She can feel Tae withdraw her hand. “Oh. sorry. Too personal?”

“Little bit.”

“My bad.” Tae rises back to full height and surveys Byleth’s progress toward reorganizing. “I can see why you said you had worse.”

“Huh?” Byleth turns around to commit to the conversation more.

“The first time I saw you in here, after you fell down a staircase. You said it wasn’t that bad. Now I can tell what you mean. Some of those look like they could’ve been life-threatening.”

“They were, yeah.”

“...That last one can’t be more than a few years old.” She’s barely audible, but the concern in her voice comes across clear as day. Byleth isn’t sure she even heard her correctly.

“...Hm?”

“Nothing, nothing. You’re doing a great job back here. Want that Leblanc payment tonight?”

“Oh, I’ll be… uh. Busy. Sorry.”

“Rain check, then. In the meantime, here.”

Tae places a box on the top of the cabinet Byleth is working at. When she looks up, it’s a box of cookies and cream pocky. Tae is already gone, back to the front desk. Byleth gets back to her work in silence, accompanied only by the memory of searing pain in her shoulder, at the end of Edelgard’s axe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one didn't end up as long as I tend to try to make these but I'll live. I'm doing this for free, you can't sue me


	3. Support Level A - Outpatient Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tae has an idea for an apology. Byleth wasn't ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some content warnings for abuse and scars on this one. Even I didn’t know I was gonna choose to get this deep.

It’s taken up a lot of free time after work, but Byleth has made commendable progress in cleaning Tae’s clinic. Today will probably be her last visit of this nature, as bittersweet as it feels. She hadn’t left on the best of notes, but Byleth doesn’t let that interfere with getting a job done. Especially when being treated to Sojiro’s curry is on the line. The last task she has is to organize the number of medical journals and compendiums that Tae has sitting in the back room.

Tae’s in her usual perch, the seat at the counter, refreshing the same three social media pages. Occasionally, a patient will check in, she’ll get up to treat them, and then they’ll leave, happier than they came. Aside from that, a pregnant silence permeates the clinic.

Apparently, Tae runs out of patience to keep scrolling through her phone. Not enough new content, or maybe it’s all boring. No difference, really. She turns back to Byleth, avoiding eye contact. “Errr, Byleth. I…”

Byleth looks up from her work, a stack of books, expectant.

She’s surprised to see Tae rubbing the side of her neck, avoiding eye contact. Her expression is punctuated by a frown. “I’m sorry for last time. About prying into all your scars. I should’ve respected your privacy.”

“Oh, uh. It’s okay.” Byleth picks up a stack of books and starts to stock them one by one on a bookcase. She pays attention to each title, each author. There’s a system to these things, dammit.

Apparently, however, that’s not the answer Tae was hoping to hear. As soon as the last book has left Byleth’s hands, Tae tugs her by the arm to be face to face. “I saw the effect that it had on you. It’s not okay. I know that, and you know that. You’re just being nice. Too nice. Is there any way I can make it up to you?”

“Tae, you don’t--”

But she puts a finger to Byleth’s lips to halt that. “I know how personal a scar can be, Byleth. I know some of them don’t have casual, happy-go-lucky stories.”

“Tae…”

She removes her finger, then bonks the back of her clipboard against Byleth’s forehead before tossing it to the small (now-organized) desk in the room. “Would it be alright if I showed you a few of my own? I feel like that’s the only way to make this right, really.”

Byleth can’t find the words for her feelings, she just nods. Tae closes the door to the back room, locks it, then sighs. She takes a seat on a bench near the wall, then brings up one of her legs, tugging up the edge of her dress. On her upper thigh, just under the hip, are about ten small, dot-shaped scars.

“Back in college, I had a boyfriend with a nasty quirk of putting his cigarettes out on me when I didn’t do what he asked. A worse habit than the smoking, really.” She paints a constellation between them. Some are more pronounced, some are deeper.

Byleth is too shocked to say anything, hell, even _think_ anything.

“That one in particular was the worst, after we got into a fight. He didn’t like how I dressed so skimpy when I went out with friends, so he said he’d give me a reason to cover up. What a nice guy, right? Always looking out for me.” She circles the scar in question with her fingertip a few times. 

Byleth abandons the books behind her, then joins Tae’s side. She stares at the scars for a moment, then throws her arms around Tae as tightly as she can. “Tae, you didn’t have to do all this.”

Tae gradually lowers her dress back to a socially acceptable place, rather than only a centimeter away from showing off the color of her underwear. When her arms are free, she reciprocates Byleth’s hug. “Wouldn’t have felt like we were on equal footing if I didn’t.”

“But those are some awful memories.”

“It’s okay. I’m okay. That asshole is in prison now for breaking and entering, and a hundred things besides. I got therapy, finished college, then started chasing my dreams. Granted, there were some hiccups there, too, but that’s life.” Tae pushes Byleth away, gently, before continuing. “I just didn’t want you to feel alone in the pain you survived, whatever it may have been.”

Silence passes. Byleth’s eyes lock on the spot where her shoulders are held by Tae’s hands. “...Want me to punch him?”

That’s enough to get a chuckle out of her, hopefully enough to lift the mood. “If you ever get the chance, go for it. He probably still deserves it.”

For some reason, it isn’t until now that Byleth’s face shifts to a red hue. That was… a lot of Tae’s legs that she just saw.

And Tae notices the change. She grins, mischievous. “You can just get a picture, if you’d like. I’d allow it.”

“N-no, that won’t be necessary. But you… you do have very nice legs.”

“As do you, my assistant. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.” She stands again, retrieves her clipboard, then makes her way back to the door, back to work. Or, rather, back to the same three social media pages. Maybe now there’ll be something interesting for her. She undoes the lock, but lingers at the threshold. “Where are my manners, though? I told you I wouldn’t hit on you the same way you told me that other nurse did. My bad. Coffee and curry after you’re done?”

“Sounds great.”

“Can’t wait. Thanks again for all your help.” And then, with a wink, she’s gone again. For some reason, it feels like the AC is broken again.


	4. Support Level S - Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tae needs more help from Byleth, but what for? Surely, she can't have anything else in mind.

After she’d finished organizing Tae’s entire clinic -- files, supplies, wires, just about  _ everything _ \-- Byleth was given one additional offer, though Tae phrased it more as a “challenge.” Tae’s request is playing on loop in Byleth’s head. Her smile, the way she locked eyes with Byleth and just  _ didn’t look away _ as she asked. Even just coordinating for the best time had her brain firing synapses until her nervous system was a mass of feedback and noise.

_ “One final request… Mind helping me deep clean my apartment? I’ll pay you back properly for it, not just with coffee and curry.” _

The thought of it keeps Byleth’s mind in free fall, diving in an endless sky of nerves, though she’s not sure why. Or, at least, she won’t admit to herself why. She’s flitting back and forth between articles of clothing, not sure what outfit is most appropriate for… going over to a friend’s place to help them clean. It’s not like they’re going out on a date, right? This is just a good excuse to get work done, hang out, and do a favor for a close friend. Even if that friend is heart-meltingly cute and--

_ Focus. _

Byleth’s room looks more and more like Tae’s with each reconsideration of garments. She collapses back onto her folded futon, then presses a pillow into her face, as if it were a sponge to absorb her jitters. When she decides not to suffocate herself on the spot, Byleth bolts upward, tosses on the most casual thing she owns -- a loose black v-neck and some navy gym shorts -- then sprints out with a tote bag of cleaning supplies and locks her door behind her before she can regret anything and turn back.

**…**

“Ah, if it isn’t my favorite assistant. Come in, I’ve already started. Well, not much, but I put my laundry in. That counts for something, right?” Tae is dressed just as casually as Byleth. She’s got an oversized white t-shirt and red shorts that are maybe  _ one _ inch away from being booty shorts. On the side of her right thigh, Byleth can see a few of the scars that Tae showed her not too long ago. It takes everything in Byleth just to keep from staring. Tae’s voice drags her back down into reality, back to remembering she’s here to do a job, not to ogle her doctor’s lovely, shapely thighs. “I was thinking we divide and conquer. You can handle the bathroom, I’ll start in the kitchen. That way you don’t have to see the… experiments I left growing in my fridge. Or my sink.”

“Bathroom. Got it.” Byleth scampers to the bathroom, avoiding even more eye contact than she’s already made. Her entire being is a ball of tension, a scorching solar body pressing itself denser and denser. She’s afraid to find out what the ensuing supernova might entail. She unzips her bag, retrieves her surface cleaner and turns her focus outward. While she’d made strides in staying present enough to fight for her life in the Metaverse, this was an entirely different sensation.

The two work like this for the better part of an hour, silent, cordoned off to their own workspaces. Not much different than cubicles in a dull, grey office building. Except that this isn’t, it’s Tae’s apartment, and as messy as it is, the air itself feels electric, the motion of wiping off Tae’s mirror to a polished shine feels more rewarding than usual, getting rid of excess bottles of mostly-empty dye instills a deep calm within Byleth’s heart, and--  _ what the fuck is that. _

There’s a tangle of navy blue hair in the shower drain, like a sea creature plucked from its tide pool and left to die in the sunlight. Byleth sighs, weary. She didn’t bring any drain cleaner. In hopes of a miracle, she searches underneath Tae’s sink, though she evades disappointment by keeping her expectations low.

For the first time since she’d arrived, Byleth calls out of the bathroom. “You wouldn’t happen to have something for the lagoon monster in your shower drain, would you?”

Tae’s voice is distant, having to pass through two doorways to reach its destination. “You’re still alive? Here I’d thought that thing had killed you by now.”

“And you didn’t come to confirm my death? I’m offended.”

“I try to separate work and home.” Her voice is getting closer and closer, until she finally peeks around the door frame. “Oh, you’re not even maimed. That’s a relief.” She fills the doorway fully… as much as she can, at least. She’s slender and barely more than five feet tall, so it doesn’t paint the most imposing picture.

Somehow, the image behind it certainly _feels_ that way.

“That’s alright, I was going to make a supply run here after I tossed the biohazards from the kitchen. I’ll add it to the list.” Then, she wanders in, assessing Byleth’s handiwork. “Oh, wow. Impressive. It almost looks the way it did when I first moved in.” Then, her eyes catch the shower. “Almost.”

The way she’s standing to Byleth is closer than she’s done before, at least outside the context of medical treatment. The proximity is enough to send Byleth’s heart into a frenzy. Then, Tae crouches down, face close enough to where Byleth  _ swears _ she can feel her breath. She places her hand on Byleth’s shoulder and speaks softly. “Thanks again. Seriously, I appreciate this. Almost more than your help in my office, if I’m being honest.” Her smile is saccharine and gentle, as though grinning any larger would shatter her porcelain skin.

“Hey, you’re paying me. I can’t complain.” Byleth returns the smile, ignoring that Tae’s touch is putting her heart on edge, dangerously close to billowing smoke from the subsequent overdrive.

“Then I hope you’re not mad at me when I ask you to finish washing my dishes while I’m out getting these supplies.” She finally stands, and Byleth joins, albeit a half a head taller.

“We’ll wait for the diagnosis on that after we get test results, doctor.”

Tae giggles, so feather-light and angelic that it almost betrays her nonchalant punk aesthetic. “What did I say about keeping work and home separate?”

“Okay, okay. I’ll get back to work.”

“When I get back, you can handle that extraterrestrial while I do the finishing touches in the kitchen-ish… dining room-ish… area. Then, we’ll work together on my bedroom. How’s that sound?”

_ I’d forgotten that we’d be doing that. _

“Sounds like a solid plan.” Byleth is the master of the pokerface. 

“Cool. Be back soon.”

Byleth follows her out into the landing hallway, where Tae tugs up a few bags of trash before offering a silent farewell. Byleth locks the door behind her, then finds her new workstation at the kitchen sink. She’s left alone to deal with the dishes and her thoughts.

_ If she touches me like that again, I might explode. Is she this touchy with her other friends? Maybe? Ugh, it’s no use overthinking it. Just clean. Clean, clean, clean. The mind will follow. _

For the next fifteen minutes, Byleth puts all her concentration into separating gunk from plates and pans. In cleaning each dish, she ventures a guess at what Tae might have used that particular piece for. One pot was used for stir fry, judging on the dried noodles clinging to the side. Another was for popcorn, given away by the oil and unpopped kernels. The last one is… omurice? Byleth is surprised that Tae would ever have the time, let alone the interest to make a breakfast dish like that, and does she ever make breakfast for two? Are her mornings always spent alone? Would she ever-- Byleth shakes her head, emptying the thoughts through both ears, then realigns her concentration on the task at hand.

She gets so laser-focused, in fact, that it isn’t until she feels a hand on the small of her back that she’s reminded of the world outside. She freezes, startled, but eases at the tenderness of the sensation. When she turns, she sees Tae stooping downward with a bag of groceries, though her hand lingers in its place on Byleth’s back.

It could be that hand’s new home, for all she’s concerned.

“Sorry I scared you. Did you seriously not hear me come in?”

“Not really. I can get in the zone sometimes.”

“Hm. Noted. Now, I have the first part of your payment right here.” Her hand leaves its position, and Byleth immediately aches at the loss. Tae shakes a box, then announces. “Ta-dah. Cookies and cream pocky. Your favorite, right?”

"It is, actually. I’m surprised you remembered that.”

“I pay attention.” Byleth extends her hands for the snack, but instead is handed a red bottle of chemicals. “Might want to do that first, though. No telling what bodily reactions the ordeal could invoke.”

“Can’t be anything worse than Garreg Mach. The plumbing wasn’t exactly modern.”

Tae taps her hand on Byleth’s sternum. “I commend your sacrifice. Godspeed.”

Byleth grips the bottle more firmly, then returns to her battle station in the bathroom, with all the solemnity of a soldier off to martyr themselves for the greater good.

**…**

The two meet in Tae’s bedroom, Byleth already surprised at the progress made. Any clothes splayed on the tatami have been collected, presumably for laundry, and Tae’s desk is already cleared off and organized.

“You’re not leaving me much to do in here, you know.”

“Not my fault that you took so long exorcising that demon. But hey, now we can take a breather while my clothes dry.” She winks, poking Byleth’s nose ever so gently. “Hope you don’t mind helping me fold my unmentionables.”

_ I definitely hadn’t considered that, either. She’s trying to kill me. _

“Again, you’re paying me.” She opens her box of pocky, prepared to gorge. “What’s the second part of the payment, anyway?”

She giggles, coquettish and dangerous. “You’ll see.”

Tae falls back to her work, hanging dresses in her closet, organized by color. Mostly black. Byleth doesn’t want the conversation to end. “It took a lot of trust to leave me here in your apartment alone.”

“Well, yeah. I trust you.”

“Who knows what secrets I could’ve stumbled upon?”

“Nothing I wouldn’t show you purposefully.”

_ Oh. Does that mean…?  _ **_Oh._ **

“I’m going to go… see if your laundry is dry. Be right back.”

“Not without a bin, you aren’t.” Tae hoists an empty basket skyward, facing toward Byleth to make the transfer. When Byleth reaches for the handle, Tae’s hand is still there, idle. Her palm brushes the back of Tae’s hand, her knuckles, a hint of her fingers. Byleth is again reminded of porcelain: smooth, unmarred. She wants so acutely to stay like this, but instead grabs the handle above Tae’s hand. Tae finally releases, turning back to her work, no hint on her face of the moment they just shared.

Byleth finds the dryer, a pang of jealousy as she unloads the contents.

_ God, I wish I had in-unit utilities like this. _

When she’s delivered the payload to Tae’s room, she can hear the gentle thrum of punk music from the laptop on Tae’s desk. Tae sits on the floor, bobbing her head side to side with the beat, patiently awaiting Byleth’s return. When she spots her arrival, Tae pats the tatami in front of her. “Alright, dump it on out. This is the last task for the day.”

Byleth complies, flipping the bin bottom-up. The pile of clean garments is substantial, but not impossible. After replacing the bin to its rightful place in the closet, Byleth joins Tae on the tatami to sort the pile. She maintains composure, to her surprise. Still, that focus comes at the cost of silence as she sorts the clothes into distinctly organized mounds. Then, she gets to folding.

The music makes for a good rhythmic guide, a background pulse that she can follow for a brisk pace. She works with the precision of a machine: Neat, even folds for every garment. As she nears the end of the work -- with no shortage of brushed hands with her collaborator -- Tae stows the finished piles in drawers and spaces in her closet. Within moments, the two have finished, then rise to observe the fruits of their labor.

“Oh, I could cry. It’s wonderful.” Tae is as deadpan as ever. “Let’s celebrate, shall we?” She turns up the volume of the music, an upbeat pop-punk riff, then turns back to Byleth. She takes Byleth’s hands in hers, leading her in a dance. Their arms sway upward, over their heads, arms curling and swaying this way and that. The way Tae’s hips cock back and forth is… mesmerizing.

Byleth is stiff at first, unpracticed and embarrassed, but she quickly tosses those emotions aside. This is Tae she’s dancing with. She doesn’t have to maintain some appearance, she doesn’t have to be impressive. Hell, she doesn’t even have to dance  _ well _ . She can just dance. So she does. She rocks her body along with Tae’s, watching each movement with joy. And… desire? Whatever it is, Tae is certainly reciprocating the sentiment.

The thought interrupts her, and  _ is  _ interrupted as she slips backward on the tatami. Tae grabs her hand in an attempt to stop the fall, but only joins the tumble, falling beside her onto a folded futon. The two laugh in tandem, eyes squinted closed with elation. When Byleth looks once more, the sun is golden in its descent, projecting lined amber rays onto Tae’s pale skin. Tae gazes into Byleth’s eyes, a piercing, yearning stare. Then, her gaze flits down to Byleth’s lips, only for the briefest second. Byleth doubts what she saw.

She rises from the futon, remorsefully leaving Tae behind, her laughter fading. “It’s getting late. I should get home.” She skitters out of the bedroom, collecting her bag and approaching the front door. From behind her, she can hear Tae’s steps hurrying to keep pace. When Byleth opens the door, however, Tae’s hand reaches past her to force it closed.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re dense, Byleth?”

She turns around fully and finds herself pinned to the door by Tae. “What do you mean…?”

“Have you not been getting my hints all afternoon? How I’ve been touching you, talking to you, looking at you?”

“Oh, those… I didn’t want to make any assumptions.” She keeps her gaze angled off to the side in avoidance, as if that will keep Tae from spotting the flush spreading up her neck.

“Then here’s something to clear it up.” Tae guides one hand to Byleth’s waist, resting it tantalizingly, sturdily over her hip. The other grips underneath Byleth’s chin, forcing her to face Tae head-on. “I want to kiss you, Byleth. I’ve wanted to kiss you all afternoon, all evening. I wanted to when I answered my door. I wanted to just now when we collapsed on my futon together. And I desperately,  _ desperately _ want to right now.” She squeezes, holding herself back.

Byleth inhales a shaky breath. She mentally prepares herself, steeling her resolve. “Then… I won’t stop you.”

That’s all the permission Tae needs. She practically leaps up to press her lips to Byleth’s, steadying herself with hands curled around the back of Byleth’s scalp and neck. Despite the velocity, the kiss is tender, delicate, scared they’ll bruise like peaches. Tae lowers off of her tiptoes, dragging Byleth down, not easing the snare of her arms around Byleth. She responds in kind, taking Tae’s hips and guiding her closer. There are no forced movements, no roaming hands, no intermingled tongues. Neither of them want to ruin the moment by way of preemptive uncouth gestures. They simply kiss, kiss, kiss.

When they separate, Tae rests her forehead against Byleth’s and delicately scratches her scalp. They both remain wordless for some time, absorbing the moment.

Tae is the first to break the silence. “You’ve made me feel like this for so long, Byleth.”

“I think I know how you feel.” Her thumb rubs circles on Tae’s skin, just underneath her shirt.

Tae backs her head away, just enough for eye contact. Her brown eyes are exquisite, lustrous with affection. “I… ugh, why am I just now getting nervous? Fuck it, I just need to say it…” She closes her eyes, inhales slowly, then exhales. No sooner than her breath has left does she continue. “I love you, Byleth.”

All she can do is grin. “I love you too, Tae.”

Tae closes the distance, kissing Byleth once more. The kiss is shorter, now that the two understand how their lips fit together, how they match rhythms in the ebb and flow. When Tae breaks off, she rests her chin on Byleth’s shoulder. The warmth of her breathing against the shell of Byleth’s ear is like a lullaby in its own right.

“Do you think you could… stay the night?” Byleth can feel the vibrations of Tae’s voice in how their chests are pressed together, soothing as a cat’s purr.

“I would like that.”

Tae reaches behind Byleth to lock the apartment door. She takes Byleth’s hand, and the two smile in unison during the journey back to Tae’s bedroom. Every step feels lighter, like gravity has given them a taste of weightlessness, as though even time has slowed, a chronostasis just for the two of them.

Before long, they’ve set up Tae’s futon, dimmed the lights and prepared wine and snacks for a movie on her laptop.

Tae lays in her futon, motioning for Byleth to join behind her. “It’s not much for a first date, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Scared to call our conversations over coffee and curry ‘dates,’ I see?”

“Oh, hush.” Tae swats Byleth’s leg as she curls up behind her in the futon, draping an arm over Tae’s waist. “I’m a fan of old horror films, so this’ll be a sample taste of our relationship.” Her voice drifts quiet after that. “Oh, uh… if you want a relationship, of course.”

“And you called me dense.” Byleth kisses the back of Tae’s head, catching the scent of hibiscus shampoo. “I’d be overjoyed to call you my girlfriend, Tae.”

“Me, too.” Tae grips Byleth’s arm more firmly. “God, me too.” She kisses Byleth’s knuckles, then starts the movie.

It’s an old cheesy flick about a swamp monster, with surprisingly well-done effects for the time. The two quip about its resemblance to Tae’s shower drain, and Tae’s laughter against Byleth lulls her drowsier.

The film ends, and the two don’t even move. They drift into slumber, even smiling as they fall asleep, curled together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I, the author, have a huge lesbian crush on Tae, so I really hope this does her character the truest of justice  
> dear god I wish that were me


End file.
